There’s not much you can do with a car that has an unreliable and inefficient engine. It may get you to where you need to go some of the time. At other times it will let you down badly.
Oil
The humble oil is the one ingredient that allows everything to function efficiently. Without it all the moving parts will stop moving. If your engine parts are not properly lubricated and they start to grind against each other they will wear and need to be prematurely replaced. Oil also traps dust, dirt and sediment and prevents it from getting into the places where it can do some real harm so you should change the oil filters regularly. Check your oil levels at least monthly and top it up if it looks to be getting low. It is one of the surest ways to make your car last longer.
Oil and other leaks
Leaks from your engine are difficult to spot because it’s often not until you have an empty car space that you manage to see them. Not only that, it’s a challenge to know exactly where the leak came from. Water, oil, transmission fluid, coolant, gear and power steering fluids have different colours and smells and except for your car leaking water, which is actually water draining from your engine, all of them can come from pretty obscure places and should be addressed quickly by your auto mechanic in Sydney.
Air filters
Imagine running a marathon at altitude where the air is thin and the flow to your lungs is restricted. That’s a bit like what happens to a car when you have blocked air filters. Constricted air flow increases emissions and reduces mileage because there’s not enough oxygen getting to your engine to burn the fuel properly. Check your air filters regularly or at least remind your mechanic to do so. If you need to remind you mechanic that you probably should consider an alternate mechanic who is more attuned to car engine damage repair.
Running on empty
It’s a no no to let your car run when you see the petrol empty light come on even though we’ve all been guilty of running the gauntlet from time to time. The problem is that petrol has sediment that has a tendency to sink and settle at the bottom of your petrol tank. If you are allowing your car to run on low levels of petrol then you are inviting that sediment to get into and circulate throughout your engine. Do it too often and you’ll be needing to replace a pump and filter; keep doing it and you’ll be doing irreversible damage to your engine.
Belts
We won’t get too technical about belts because they are not something that most of you should be dabbling with unless you know what you’re doing. If you know what you’re doing then you won’t need to be told that squeals from beneath the hood and cracks or other signs of wear are signs that a replacement is due. If you’ve ever had a belt goes while you’re on a trip or in traffic then you’ll know it’s a frustrating and expensive repair job. Good car engine diagnostics in Sydney will alert you to the need for a replacement. That goes for diesel engine diagnostics as well.
Bottom line is look after your car. Don’t ignore warning lights and get regular maintenance checks.
If you are looking for a local mechanic that you can trust then contact Southern Cross Automotive in Mascot. We specialise in all makes and models – fleets, trucks and four wheel drives. Contact us today and schedule a service, you won’t be disappointed.
Post a comment